Here’s what’s up in SETX, 

A major product recall, a new mental health lifeline, and the 78th Neches River Festival kicking off this weekend — this one's got something for everyone. If you own a Bissell Steam Shot steam cleaner, read Section 3 first. It could save you a trip to the ER. Plus: Southeast Texas honored the memory of 9-year-old Mary Grace Baker, Lamar University is literally pouring molten iron on campus, and SETX food truck owners are quietly fighting to keep your prices from climbing.

Today's newsletter is brought to you by Tailored Financial Solutions.

Let's get into it. 👇

⚠️ 1.7 Million Bissell Steam Cleaners Recalled — Burn Risk in Your Home

On April 9, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a recall covering approximately 1.7 million BISSELL Steam Shot OmniReach and Steam Shot Omni handheld steam cleaners. The hazard: the steam attachment can unexpectedly detach mid-use, sending a burst of scalding hot water or steam directly at whoever's holding it. BISSELL has received 206 burn reports, including one confirmed second-degree burn.

If you picked one up between October 2024 and March 2026 at Target, Walmart, Amazon, or similar stores — price range was $9–$55 — check the bottom of the unit for model numbers 4171B, 4171C, 4171D, 4171H, 4171J, or 4171X. If you've got one, stop using it immediately. BISSELL is offering a free replacement through their dedicated recall site.

💡 The bottom line: Five minutes on steamshot2026.com is worth it — a free replacement beats a burn any day.

❤️ SETX Pays Tribute to Organ Donors — CHRISTUS Southeast Texas hosted a Donate Life ceremony on April 8 at their Beaumont Outpatient Pavilion, during National Donate Life Month. CHRISTUS nurse April Bertrand shared her own story: her teenage daughter died in a crash, and the decision to donate her organs saved three lives. One generous choice, three people still here. Read more →

🧠 A Mental Health Navigator Is Now Available in SETX — Care Solace, a free 24/7 mental health coordination service, is being made available to Southeast Texas residents. Think of it as a concierge for local mental health resources — live support by phone, email, or video in 200+ languages, at zero cost. With Baptist's $50M behavioral health expansion underway, this is the right resource landing at the right time. Read more →

🕊️ Community Honors the Memory of Mary Grace Baker — Southeast Texas came together to pay tribute to 9-year-old Mary Grace Baker in a community memorial that reflected just how tightly this region holds its own. Read more →

🔥 Molten Iron Flows at Lamar University — LU's art foundry program, led by Professor Kurt Dyrhaug, hosted a public iron pour — an industrial-scale sculpture process where molten metal is cast on campus in front of anyone who shows up to watch. If you didn't know Lamar had an active foundry program, now you do. Worth keeping on your radar for next time. Read more →

🚚 Fuel Prices Are Squeezing SETX Food Truck Owners — Rising fuel costs are cutting into the already-thin margins of Texas food truck operators, including local SETX owners who are absorbing the hit rather than passing it on to customers. They're getting creative to keep prices where they are — but it's a grind. Support your local trucks when you see them. Read more →

📬 Which story caught your eye?

Mark your calendars for these upcoming highlights.

THIS WEEK

MOVIE NIGHTS @ JEFFERSON THEATRE

THIS WEEKEND

COMING UP

Which event are you hitting up? Reply and let us know! And if there's an event we missed, send it our way for next week's issue. 🎉

If you've lived in SETX long enough, you know the Schooner. Sitting on Hwy 69 in Nederland since before most of us can remember, this Mid-County institution has been serving Gulf Coast seafood the way it should be — crawfish bisque, broiled snapper, gulf oysters, and a gumbo so good they sell it by the gallon. It's the kind of place where locals don't need a reason to go other than it's Tuesday.

📍 1507 S Hwy 69, Nederland | ⏰ Mon 11AM–8:30PM | Tue–Wed 11AM–9PM | Thu 11AM–9:30PM | Fri–Sat 11AM–10PM | Closed Sunday

🤤 Had a great meal somewhere in SETX lately? Reply and tell us — we feature reader picks.

Running a business in Southeast Texas means wearing every hat and the financial one is usually the heaviest. Tailored Financial Solutions was built to take that weight off local entrepreneurs and growing businesses. Founded by Lance Taylor, TFS delivers accurate bookkeeping, CFO-level strategic guidance, and financial clarity so owners can focus on what they actually built the business for.

This section is sponsored by Tailored Financial Solutions. Want your business featured here? Email us at [email protected].

April is peak migration season on the Gulf Coast, and Beaumont's Cattail Marsh Wetlands is one of the best free birding spots in the state right now. The 900-acre urban wetlands sits directly on the Central Flyway — the main north-south corridor for birds moving through Texas — and this month you'll find warblers, shorebirds, herons, and dozens of species passing through or stopping to rest.

No entry fee, and parking is off Tyrrell Park Road. Get there at dawn for the best action — the light is better and the birds are most active in the first hour after sunrise. Bring binoculars if you have them, but even a slow walk around the marsh is worth it.

🏕️ What's your favorite outdoor spot in the Golden Triangle? Reply and tell us — we'll feature the best ones in a future issue.

Industry Pulse: Medical hiring is active across SETX — CHRISTUS Health has 30+ open positions in Southeast Texas and recently held a Beaumont hiring event to fill both specialized and support roles. On the industrial side, Motiva has 12 active openings in Port Arthur ranging $14–83/hr and ExxonMobil is currently recruiting for Beaumont refinery positions. If you've been thinking about making a move, the listings below are worth a look.

The What's Up SETX Team is on the hunt for amateur photographers based in the Golden Triangle to partner with us for our social media and newsletter so we can reach and help more people stay in the know.

If you're already out there capturing community moments, local businesses, or everyday life around here, we'd love to start a conversation about working together.

Or if someone came to mind while you were reading this, send it their way.

Interested? Email us at [email protected] with your portfolio or Instagram handle.

🎓 Port Arthur LNG STEM Scholarship — Port Arthur / Orange County

Ten graduating seniors from Jefferson and Orange counties can win full tuition, books, and fees for up to four years at Lamar University, LIT, LSCPA, LSCO, or other area institutions pursuing STEM degrees. This is one of the best local scholarship opportunities we've seen this year. Deadline is April 15 — don't miss it.

How to apply: Submit your PDF to [email protected] and [email protected].

🔧 Free Welding Training — Port Arthur

The Port Arthur EDC and Lamar State College Port Arthur are funding professional welding training for 75 Port Arthur residents at zero cost — no tuition, no fees. The program runs over three years and is timed to match anticipated shipbuilding demand returning to the region. This is a real pathway to an in-demand trade with strong local hiring prospects.

How to apply: Watch for enrollment details from LSCPA at lscpa.edu or via Port Arthur News.

Looking for outdoor work this spring? Tailored Lawn Care is hiring for local routes. Good steady gig with a local company.

Call or text Frederick: (409) 365-4887

💼 Hiring in SETX? Send us your job listing and we'll include it — free for local businesses. Just reply to this email.

⚡ Do you own a Bissell Steam Shot? Had you already heard about the recall — or did we just save you a burn? Let us know.

See you in a few days neighbor 📍,

The What’s Up SETX Team